Mackinac Center for Public Policy

"The Mackinac Center for Policy Research, founded in 1987, is the largest conservative state-level policy think tank in the nation. It was established by the state's leading conservative activists to promote conservative free market, pro-business policies. Reflected by its board of directors and those funding its operations, the Center works to advance its policy objectives primarily though its publications, but has an increasing physical presence throughout the state. The Mackinac Center has moved beyond Michigan by hosting think tank schools that have lead to the franchising of its operations in nearly every state and 37 other countries."

Freedom Of Information Act Requests
The Mackinac Center for Public Policy issued a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for three Michigan Universities, the University of Michigan, Wayne State University and Michigan State University. The request targets any emails containing: “collective bargaining,” “Wisconsin,” “Madison,” “Scott Walker” or “Maddow.” The requests target labor studies faculty at each school.

According to Zane McMillin, writing for the State News, "the center cannot comment on the nature of its request until it receives and analyzes the documents…because the center does not know what situation it is looking at until it receives said documents.”

This posed some concerns for university professors because “the request could be because of a number of things, and one cannot rule out the possibility… that it’s an attempt to quell political opposition.” Furthermore, some people are worried that the request will stifle academic freedom. In a New York Times article, Director of Academic Freedom for the American Association of University Professors, Greg Scholtz, said, “We think all this will have a chilling effect on academic freedom. We’ve never seen FOIA requests used like this before.”

The following are some of the policy staff that have written articles about Labor Relations:
 * Paul Kersey, Director of Labor Policy
 * Robert Hunter, Senior Fellow in Labor Policy
 * Patrick Wright, Senior Legal Analyst

Establishment
"Founded in 1987, the Mackinac Center was created with funding by the little-known Cornerstone Foundation. Created by Dykema Gossett attorney Richard D. McLellan and located in the same building as the Dykema Gossett law firm, Cornerstone’s original board included McLellan, then-Senator John Engler, and D. Joseph Olson then General Council for Amerisure Insurance. Fundraising activity was active from 1984 to 1991, with peak activity in 1987 when Cornerstone established the Mackinac Center. The insurance industry (primarily Citizen’s) provided initial funding, amounting to $306,382 during this period. Various officials of Dow Cornering and Dow Chemical paid $335,986.

"Its creation was driven by the insurance industry’s call for product liability reform, its interest in the Accident Fund, and by Dow Corning’s concern over silicone breast implant liability.

"According to documents filed by the Center with the federal government, its activities are tax exempt because it is:

"'Conducting policy research on matters affecting Michigan residents and proposing approaches to public policy issues consistent with the traditional American values of free-markets, limited government, and respect for private property...' (IRS Form 990 (2005), page 3)

"In order to retain this tax exempt status, the Center states that it has not:

":… attempted to influence national, state, or local legislation, including any attempt to influence public opinion on a legislative matter or referendum." (IRS Form 990 (2005), Schedule A, page 2)

"The Mackinac Center is a member of the State Policy Network (SPN), a network of state-based think tanks patterned after the Heritage Foundation. Mackinac Center President Emeritus Lawrence Reed serves on the SPN Board of Directors."

In 2006, it had a budget of more than $4 million and a staff of 32.

Board of Directors
Current Board members, as of June 2011, are :
 * Joseph Fitzsimmons
 * Dulce Fuller, member, and also chair of the Southeast Michigan Committee of the Heritage Foundation.
 * Paul Gadola, Judge, Reagan Campaign Chair, Federalist Society
 * Richard Haworth, chairman of the board of Haworth, Inc (furniture)
 * Kent Herrick, Vice Chairman, and Tecumseh Engines founder’s great grandson
 * Phil Jenkins, CEO of Sweepster Inc
 * R. Kinnan, member, and also the Senior Vice President and C.F.O. for Amerisure Insurance.
 * Joseph Lehman President, and also on the board of directors of the Sam Adams Alliance and also former Vice president for communications at the Cato Institute.
 * Edward Levy, President, Edw. C. Levy Co.
 * Rodney Lockwood, member, and also the Chairman/CEO of the Lockwood Companies
 * Joseph Maguire, Treasurer, and also president of Wolverine Development Corporation.
 * Richard McLellan, Secretary, and also member of McLellan Law Offices.
 * D. Joseph Olson, Chairman, and also Senior VP and General Counsel, Amerisure Companies
 * Lawrence Reed, President Emeritus

Past board members are:
 * Richard D. McLellan, Dykema Gossett, PLLC
 * Joseph Lehman, MC President, formerly Dow Chemical, Cato Institute
 * Mara M. Letica, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Letica Corp
 * D. Joseph Olson, Senior VP and General Counsel, Amerisure Companies
 * Gail Torreano, Chief of Staff to Sen. Kevin Engler
 * Lawrence W. Reed, Mackinac Center President Emeritus
 * Margaret Riecker, Republican National Committee, Dow Foundation
 * John Riecker Hillsdale College and Comerica Bank, d. 2008
 * Linda Rodney, managing partner at LK Rodney Enterprises, LLC.
 * James Rodney, Chairman of the Board, Detroit Forming
 * William Rosenberg, Bush Presidential Campaign, Reagan, Milliken and Engler administrations
 * Robert Teeter, RNC Chairman, Pollster for Nixon, Ford, Bush campaign
 * Philip Van Dam, US Attorney under Ford
 * Gregory Kaza, Former Republican State Representative
 * Dick DeVos, Amway, Republican Candidate for Governor
 * Charles Van Eaton, Hillsdale College
 * Peter Cook, Great Lakes Mazda, major Republican campaign donor
 * Paul Gadola, Judge, Reagan Campaign Chair, Federalist Society
 * Dick Antonini, Foremost Insurance

Other
Craig Rucker of CFACT is a Mackinac Adjunct Scholar.

Funding
The Mackinac Center has always refused to disclose who pays for its operations. When asked by Detroit’s Metro Times in 1996, the Center’s President Lawrence Reed said: "Our funding sources are primarily foundations … with the rest coming from corporations and individuals," but that "… revealing our contributors would be a tremendous diversion…"

In 2009, The Center's revenues totaled $3,310,018, down from 2008 revenue of $3,664,400, the majority of that revenue coming from tax-deductible individual contributions. In 2006, the Center’s revenues totaled $2,711,545. Its funding has grown substantially over the years, "from just over $1.7 million in 1998 to a high of $8 million in 2005 when its $1,790,963 payroll supported a staff of 40 people." In that year(2006), the Mackinac Center earned only $2,630 (“program sales”); the rest of its revenues came from tax-deductible contributions. Funding from non-profit foundations can be tracked by an examination of the IRS returns they file. From 2002 to 2006, the following conservative and corporate foundations funded the Center:

Mackinac Center Non-Profit Funders 2002-2009
 * Aequus Institute	$1,000		Free Market/Christian Science Advocacy
 * Beach Foundation		$3,000
 * Bradley Foundation, Lynde and Harry 	$472,500		Electronic and radio component heirs
 * Brandon Foundation, David A. 	2,500		Former Domino's Pizza CEO
 * Bretzlaff Foundation, Hilda E. 	$1,000
 * Eli and Edythe L. Broad Foundation 	$27,500		Homebuilding and retirement
 * Castle Rock Foundation		$50,000		Coors founder's son
 * J.P. Morgan Chase Foundation	$47,150		JP Morgan banking heirs
 * Chrysler Foundation		$225,000		Automotive corporation
 * Dart Foundation		$20,000		Founder of Dart Container Corp
 * Daniel and Pamella DeVos Foundation 	$50,000		Amway founder son, CEO DP Fox Ventures
 * Dick & Betsy DeVos Foundation 	$70,000		Gov candidate./former State Rep. Chair
 * Douglas & Maria DeVos Foundation 	$55,000		Current Alticor (Amway) Co-CEO
 * Helen & Richard DeVos Foundation 	$90,000		Amway founder
 * William H. Donner Foundation 	$20,000		Heirs of Union Steel Co. founder
 * Dow Foundation, Herbert H. and Grace A. 	$2,055,500		Dow Chemical founder widow
 * Dunn's Foundation for the Advancement of Right Thinking	$576,000		Investment company founder William A. Dunn (CEI, Frontiers of Freedom etc)
 * Earhart Foundation, MI		$333,300		White Star Oil heirs
 * ExxonMobil Foundation, TX	$10,000		Oil corporation
 * Fisher Foundation, Max M. and Marjorie S. 	$1,000		Gas stations and real estate
 * Gelman Educational Foundation	$10,000		Gelman Instrument Company
 * General Motors Foundation, Inc.	$30,000		Automotive corporation
 * Gerstacker Foundation, Rollin M.	$150,000		Dow Chemical Chairman (retired)
 * Hanover Insurance Group Foundation, Inc.	$5,500		Insurance corp. (includes Citizens)
 * Hansen Foundation, Robert and Marie 	$25,000		Cogen Technologies founder
 * Heritage Mark Foundation	$7,000		Christian causes, emphasis on evangelism
 * Herrick Foundation		$1,950,000		Tecumseh Engines founder's son
 * Hickory Foundation		$40,000		Investment company founder's former wife
 * Hume Foundation, Jaquelin 	$375,000		Basic Vegetable company heir
 * J. P. Humphreys Foundation	$40,000		TAMKO roofing, composite decking founder’s wife
 * JM Foundation		$45,000		Borden Milk Company heirs
 * Kelly Services, Inc. Foundation, MI	$3,500		Staffing corporation
 * Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation	$50,000		Oil corporation heir, founder of Cato Institute
 * Merillat Foundation, Orville D. & Ruth A.	$195,000		Cabinet manufacturer founder's widow
 * Perrigo Company Charitable Foundation	$36,000		Over-the-counter drug manufacturer
 * Peters Foundation, Ruth and Lovett, OH	$525,000		Procter & Gamble heirs
 * Pope Foundation, John William 	$4,500		Variety Wholesalers retail chain founder
 * Prince Foundation, Edgar and Elsa	$125,000		Prince Automotive founder's widow
 * Rodney Fund		$744,500		Detroit Forming founder/Mackinac Bd member
 * Roe Foundation		$150,000		Builder Marts of American / State Policy Network founder
 * Sarah Scaife Foundation	$50,000		Mellon industrial, oil and banking heirs
 * Schiavone Family Foundation	$10,000		Construction company investigated for organized crime connections
 * Staley Educational Foundation, Richard Seth 	$1,000
 * Strosacker Foundation, Charles J	$68,750		Dow Chemical Board member
 * Van Andel Foundation, Jay and Betty,	$20,000		Amway founder widow
 * Walton Family Foundation	$100,000		Wal-Mart heirs

These contributions total $8,871,200; the remaining revenue for this period (about $20 million) was provided by entities that are not required to file statements with the federal government: individuals and corporations.... Refusing to release corporate financing sources prevents outsiders from drawing connections between the business of these corporations and the research conclusions and opinions the Center reaches."

In Strategic Grantmaking, Foundations and the School Privatization Movement, Richard Cohen of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy estimates that one-half to two-thirds of all corporate grant-making is “made through the CEO’s office or the marketing department, for which there is no public disclosure requirement.”

Staff Compensation
Those working for the Mackinac Center are well compensated. The chart below lists the 2005 and 2006 total compensation for officers and highest paid five employees, including benefits contribution and expense accounts:

Projects, publications and related websites
The Mackinac Center for Public Policy runs the following affiliated sites and publications:
 * Mackinac Center Legal Foundation - Law Firm
 * Michigan Capitol Confidential - News service reporting on public officials
 * Students for a Free Economy -
 * Michigan Votes.org - database of legislative bills, votes
 * Show Michigan the Money -
 * Mackinac Media - Interviews and News Reports

Summary
"The Mackinac Center receives attention not because of its objective scholarship but because it showers the media and governmental officials at all levels with publications designed to promote a conservative agenda. It is undoubtedly a very effective conduit for the policy wishes of its sponsors. It has shown great resourcefulness in creating new ways to spread its message. Between its presence in the Michigan Legislature, its many publications, news releases, its web site and conferences it might seem to be spreading its message in every way possible, but it continues to find new outlets" :


 * It recently sponsored a contest to reward a student essay that best “exposes a scientific fallacy in a book, movie, song or other pop culture medium.”
 * A new program “Students for a Free Economy” will visit Michigan colleges and universities “taking policy ideas to students … who may be unfamiliar with the ways that markets affect their lives and the issues they care about.”
 * It’s Freedom in Fiction Prize competition offers $10,000 to the new book author who creates:

"…characters that demonstrate an appreciation for liberty, free markets and/or explicitly or symbolically oppose government oppression or restraints on their freedom…"

But the book must not:

"…advance themes or characters who promote government-sponsored solutions; vilify entrepreneurship; degrade personal initiative, self-reliance and responsibility, or regurgitate discredited myths and misconceptions about liberty and free enterprise… "

Contact Info
140 West Main Street P.O. Box 568 Midland, Michigan 48640 (989) 631-0900 Voice (800) 22-IDEAS Voice (989) 631-0964 Fax Website: http://www.mackinac.org

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * think tanks